smith



(No Model.)

F. W. SMITH.

AUTOMATIC RELEASE FOR. CABLE GBOSSINGS.

No. 484,346. Patented Oct. 11, 1892.

uwmnmmmlmmfigiiiia44mm lflll ii 44m: A i 1 I 4 Y Eulllllllllllllwlllllilllllllllllllllllllllliiiiiiiiii 4 A sists in adevice which may be attached to consists in the novel arrangement andcombia perspective View of the bar-which Iemploy UNITE STATES PATENTOFFICE.

FRANK W. SMITH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF FIVE-EIGHTHS TO 0.W. CRUTSINGER AND ALBERT D. SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC RELEASE FOR CABLE-CROSSINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 484,346, dated October11, 1892.

Application filed May 21, 1892. Serial No. 433,850- (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. SMITH, of the city of St. Louis, State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticReleases for Cable-Crossings, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic releases forcable-crossings; andit nation of parts, as will be more full hereinafterdescribed, and designated in the claims.

In the drawings,jFigure 1 is a side elevation of my complete inventionas applied to a cable-grip of the usual construction. Fig. 2 is aperspective view of the lower portion of my invention, or that partwhich comes in contact with the wedge-shaped shoes fixed to the undersurface of the slot-rails. Fig. 3is a perspective view of the uppertransverse bar also formingapart of my invention. Fig. 4 is as a restfor the springs and which is supported by the stationary portion of thegrip; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the upper end of one of theconnecting-rods, showing more properly the formation of the same.

The object of my invention is to simplify and reduce the constructionheretofore required in this class of inventions; and it conand removedfrom the grip of the ordinary construction without in any way changingor altering the same.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a subway of the constructiongenerally employed in cable railways, and 2 the slot-rails forming apart of the same.

3 represents the moving cable, which is located in the subway anddesigned to propel the cars along the line and, as shown in thedrawings, is located in the jaws of the grip.

Referring to the grip-releasing mechanism, 4 represents the frame, whichis so shaped as to be located about the lower portion of the grip 5 anddetachable therefrom and functionally operated by means hereinafterdescribed without in any way affecting the true workings of the saidgrip.

' 6 represents the lower portion of the frame 4, which is composed oftwo parts 7 and passes entirely around the lower partof the grip, theconstruction of which is best shown in Fig. 2. The ends of the sections7, which compose the said lower portion of the releasing device, arecurved, leaving a sufficient space for the grip, and said ends are alsoprovided with decreased portions 8, which when united, as shown in Fig.2, present a finished appearance.

9 represents a vertical aperture, which is formed in each end of thesections 7, through the decreased ends, the said apertures registeringwith one another when the parts are united, afiordin g means forattachin gthelower portion 6 to the remaining parts of the frame 4.

The medium portions of the sections 7 are widened, as shown at 10, andthe upper edges of the same curved and adapted to come in frictionalcontact with the wedge -shaped shoes 11, fixed longitudinally to theunder su rface' of the slot-rails 2, adjacent to the slot in the subwayformed by the said rails.

12 represents two connecting-rods, which are arranged on the oppositeedges of the grip 5, the lower ends of which are provided with screwthreads, and said ends are passed through the apertures 9, formed in theends of the lower portion of the frame 4. After the rods 12 have beeninserted through the apertures 9 nuts 13 are turned on the screwthreadedends of the same, which serve to support the said lower portion 6. Theopposite ends of the said connecting-rods terminate in hooks 14, whichare adapted to reccive the upper edge of the transverse piece 15 whenthe parts are united, as shown in Fig. 1, holding the said lower portionin a depending position. The said transverse piece 15 is constructedfrom a suitable length of metal and the ends thereof bent, forming hooks16, one of which is a little longer than the other, the object of whichis to freely pass the said piece on and off the grip and yet lock itselfto the same when the variousparts are properly united and arranged. Thespace formed by the hooked ends of the piece 15 is for the reception ofboth the grip, and they hooked ends of the connecting-rods 12, the saidpiece being first placed in position upon the grip, after which the saidhooked ends 14 are placed in position, as shown in Fig. 1, by insertingthe lower ends of the said connecting-rods first through the space leftfor their reception by the piece 15, observing that the same is somewhatlonger than the width of the grip.

17 represents metallic loops, which are fixed to one side of the piece15 and are adapted to receive the lower, ends of a U -shaped bar 18,which ends are screw-threaded, upon which nuts 19 are turned for thepurpose of uniting the said bar to the piece 15. Like nuts are alsoscrewed on the said ends of the U- shaped bar above the first-named nutsand designated by 20, between which nuts the loops before mentioned areinterposed.

21 represents a bar of metal, which is bent intermediate of its length,forming a loop 22, and the terminal ends of the said bar are formed intohooks 23, which hooks are adapted to receive the rounded ends or lowerportions of the U-shaped bar 18, preventing the said bar 21 from movingout of its relative position, as shown in Fig. 1, and yet allowing thesaid U-shaped bar to be operated independent of the same. The bentportion of the said bar 21 is designed to rest upon and is supported bya rounded extension 24, forming a permanent part of the grip, and isinterposed between other parts forming the said grip and common in gripsof this character. At a suitable distance from the ends of the U-shapedbar 18 and fixed thereon are collars 25, and encircling said lower endsand interposed between the said collars aud the nuts 20 are coiledsprings 26, which operate to cause the entire framework 4 to assume itsnormal or elevated position after the same has been acted upon by beingbrought in contact with the wedge-shaped shoes 11. The upper or mediumportion of the U-shaped bar .18 is curved, as shown at 27, and isadapted to be received by the hooked end 28 of the plate 29, but is notin any way fixed to the same, but, on the contrary, is adapted to slideor move when the grip-lever 30 is moved without in any way afiecting thetrue workings of the releasing device.

For the sake of clearness it will be well to state that the frame properis composed of the lower portion 6, connecting-rods 12,transverse piece15, and U-shaped bar 18, all of which parts operate simultaneously.

The upper end of the plate 29 is rigidly attached to the projecting endof the pawl 31, carried by the grip-lever, by which construction whenthe frame 4 is depressed the said pawl will be released from itsengaging position with the ratchet-toothed edge of the upper portion ofthe grip 5.

32 represents a bell, which is fixed to the grip proper, and attached toone of the legs formed by the U-shaped bar is a horizontal projectingbolt or extension 33, havingasuitable clapper, which is adapted to bebrought in contact with the said bell when the frame 4 is depressed,sounding an alarm.

The alarm is very desirable and is designed to notify the gripman of theapproaching of a crossing cable before the same is reached, in whichinstance the grip-lever may be handled in time before the same is actedupon by the frame in a manner heretofore described.

34 represents a coil or other device or spring, one end of which isattached to the grip-lever and the opposite end attached to anyconvenient portion of the car carrying the grip, the object of which isto cause thesaid gr p to move in one direction when the pawl 18 releasedfrom its engaged position, or,in other words, allow the cable to bereleased by the grip, insuring no accident.

The workings of the device are very evident from the foregoingdescription. The ob ect aimed at is to automatically release the aws ofthe grip upon the cable at a suitable dis-' tance from the crossingcable orcables.

The various parts comprising my invention are detachable and can beremoved from the grip with but very little inconvenience, and,

further, the parts constituting the same are very durable and designedto stand the usage to which the same are necessarily subjected.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The herein-describedautomatic release for cable-grips, comprising a removable frame, a lowerportion, such as 6, composed of two sections united at their decreasedends, apertures formed in the said ends for receiving the lower ends ofthe connecting-rods, hooks formed on one end of the said rods,transverse pieces 15, normally in contact with said hooks,a U-shaped barremovably attached to the said transverse piece, and means for unitingthe said U-shaped bar with the pawl carried by the grip-lever and forrestoring the said frame to its normal position,substantially asdescribed. 7

2. In an automatic release for cable-grips, a movable frame adapted tobe attached to the said grip and a transverse piece, such as 15, havinghooked ends providing means for attaching the same to the grip,substantially as described.

3. In an automatic release for cable-grips, a frame adapted to beattached to the grip,a U-shaped bar having its ends attached to thetransverse piece 15, formingapart of the said frame, collars fixed tothe said U-shaped bar, and springs bearing against said collars andoperating to cause said frame to assume its normal position after thesame has been actuated, substantially as described.

4. In an automatic release for cable-grips, a U-shaped bar the ends ofwhich are fixed to thedetachable frame 4and a plate 29, having a hookedend adapted to receive the curved medium portion of the said U-shapedbar and its opposite end fixed to the pawl carried by the grip-lever,whereby the said pawl is automatically released when the frame isdepressed, substantially as described.

5. In an automatic release for cable-grips, a bar, such as 21, having acurved medium portion 22, adapted to rest upon an extension forming apart of the grip, hooks 23, formed on the ends of the said bar, throughwhich the ends of the U-shaped bar 18 are passed, and coil-springs 26,resting upon the said hooked ends and interposed between the same andthe collars carried by the said U-shaped bar, substantially asdescribed.

6. An automatic release for cables, consisting of a frame 4, a lowerportion 6, composed of two sections and united at their decreased ends,openings 9, formed in the said ends, through which the screw-threadedends of the connecting-rods 12 are passed, hooks 14, formed on theopposite ends of the said rods, a transverse piece 15, having hookedends, the

upper edge of which is adapted to be receivedby the said hooks 14, aU-shaped bar 18, attached to the said transverse piece, collars fixed tothe said lastnamed bar, a bar 21, supported by the grip, coil-springsinterposed between said collars and bar, and a plate 29, having a hookcarried by the pawl forming a part ofthe grip-lever and operated by thesaid U -shaped bar, substantially as described.

7. An automatic release for cables, consisting of a plate 29, carried bythe pawl. of the grip-lever, a hook 28, formed on the free end of thesaid plate, a U-shaped bar 18, having a curved medium portion receivedby the said hook, a bar 21, having its medium portion supported by thegrip and provided with hooked ends 23, coil-springs 26, encircling theends of the said U shaped bar and interposed between the hooks23 and thecollars25,a transverse piece 15, having hooked ends serving to hold thesame upon the grip, loops 17, fixed to the said piece 15 for receivingthe ends of the said bar 18, a lower portion 6, forming a part of theframe and supported by connecting-rods 12, and hooks 14, formed on oneend of the said rods for receiving the edge of the piece 15,substantially as-described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK W. SMITH.

Witnesses:

D. IND. NEUDORF, WILLIAM J. WALKER.

